A band as mighty as the dinosaur, T. Rex were pioneers of glam rock. Despite much wider popularity in their native England, the band only enjoyed a single hit in the US when "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" flew to #10 in 1972. The song went on to be inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame. "Bang A Gong" also resurfaced in a big way in 1985 when Robert Palmer, while in the band Power Station, took to it #9. The band could not leverage this success for another hit. "Telegram Sam" stalled at #67 in 1972 and became their last chart appearance. Frontman Marc Bolan then left to pursue a solo career, but never returned to the US charts. "Metal Guru" is a well-known song from 1972, although it never saw any chart action in the US. In my opinion, one of T. Rex's finest moments.
One thing about a Robert Palmer record: you never know what surprise the next track is going to hold. The English singer and songwriter could be doing a sweet pop song, some jazz, crooning to lounge music, or a balls to the walls rocker. Palmer's career in the US launched in 1978 when "Every Kind Of People" reached #16 (written by Andy Fraser). He followed this up with another classic, "Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)". Written by Moon Martin, Palmer took this track to #14. After a lull, Palmer came back in a big way in 1986 with his own tune, "Addicted To Love," which soared to #1 and earned him a Grammy for Rock Male Vocal. He almost hit the top spot twice more with "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On" in 1986 and "Simply Irresistible" in 1988, but both stopped at #2. In addition to his solo work, Palmer also scored hits with the supergroup known as The Power Station. His last chart appearance was in 1991 when "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)/I Want You" reached #16. Palmer passed away in 2003 from a heart attack at age 54. "Your Mother Should Have Told You" kicks off his 1990 effort, "Don't Explain." Arguably one of the best rock cuts Palmer ever recorded that didn't chart.
Moon Martin is a singer songwriter who scored a minor hit in 1979 with "Rolene," which peaked at #30. He had one other charting single after that: "No Chance" landed at #50. Despite some airplay with favorites like "Love Gone Bad," "Bad News," and "XRay Vision," he couldn't gain any traction. However, his song "Bad Case Of Lovin' You (Doctor, Doctor)" was made famous by Robert Palmer, who took the tune to #14 in 1979. Moon's real name is John, but he started going by "Moon" after fans commented on his proclivity to mention the moon in his song lyrics. "No Dice" is a perky rock number with a hint of rockabilly that he should have gambled on.
